"Coyote stock"

I think it goes without saying that I am a huge NMRA Coyote Stock fan. Yes, I shamelessly share all the content I can find from the class, and many of the drivers are good friends of mine. The first T.V show I produced revolved around Carlos Sobrino's CS car as well. One interesting point about that class, is that it is one of the newest one in the NMRA. Think about, we didn't have a coyote engine until 2011.

If you watch the show I did, which is on my YouTube channel, Carlos tells the story with Steve Gifford about how the class came to be. The reason why this class, as well as Factory Stock, and the now defunct Pure Street are my personal favorites, is because they resemble street cars. Truth be told, I am not big on "race cars". I want to see a fast car, that kills it at the track, but could also show up at a local cruise. I like stock style suspension, and seeing guys wring out insane times from arguably simple combinations. The tricks employed by CS competitors to get the cars damn near in the nines (at CS legal weight) is extremely impressive.

At the World Finals this year, in Bowling Green KY, I finally got to meet Jim and his son. A long time supporter of FCM, it was awesome to shake hands and check out they're freshly completed CS car. After some conversation Friday between rounds, we agreed to meet up early Saturday morning to shoot the car for a full feature. I will be honest, I was blown away when I saw the car. The color, the wheels, the build quality, etc, were absolutely amazing.

Saturday morning, we linked up and got the car shot, talked about the build, and what plans they had for the 2018 season. As the car had just been finished, they were mostly just testing at the finals, and data logging to get a feel for the car. The car definitely needed some suspension and clutch tweaks, but was running really good for its first outing. Watch out for Jim next year.

The car itself is an '87 LX hatch, and was built by Tim Lyons and Robbie Kellerhals at Lyons custom motorsports. Matt Caheeley at MC Autoworks is responsible for the killer paint job, and trust me when I say you have to see the car in person to really appreciate the quality.

The drivetrain is your standard fare for the class, a Ford Racing sealed crate engine, with an Aeromotive fuel system, MSD coil packs, JLT cold air intake, Lyons custom headers & x-pipe, and G Force G101A transmission with a Ram clutch. The rear is a Lyons custom fab 9" rear, with 4.56 gears. The wheels are Weld Racing Pro Mags with double bead locks in the rear. The tires are Mickey Thompson skins, and brakes are from Strange Engineering.

Inside, the car is all business. A 12 point funny car style cage was built, and Kirkey seats keep Jim planted behind the wheel. The Racepack helps Jim keep tabs on the coyote, as he rows the Long Shifter through the gears. One interesting note is the "tank of f*ckery" that resides in front of the passenger seat. Jim was hush-hush about the tanks purpose, so I guess that will have to remain a mystery for now.

For the 2018 season, Jim is hoping to run the entire circuit, and go some rounds with the CS veterans in. No small feat for sure as everyone has the exact same engine, and transmission. All of the cars weigh the same, and all run identical tunes. With that being said, CS hopefuls must get to know their clutch, tires, and suspension very well to make waves in this class. Yes, I am already getting excited for the 2018 season, and really looking forward to seeing how Jim fares. Winter sucks, I am ready for some drag racing. CR